Faculty of translation theoretical phonetics

Mammals. Mammals

Mammals — vertebrates that evolved from the animal-like reptile in Jurassic period 200 million years ago. The first mammals eat insects and resembled modern shrews (shrews). Once mammals lived with dinosaurs (dinosaurs), but about 65 million years ago as a result of climate change, many species, including the dinosaurs, went extinct (became extinct). Today mammals live on all continents and include more than 5500 species. The most well-known groups of mammals are:

• 
  Carnivores — carnivorous, predatory animals.
  
• 
  Rodents — Rodents.
  
• 
  Elephants — Elephants.
  
• 
  Marsupials — marsupials (such as kangaroos).
  
• 
  Rabbits — Bunnies.
  
• 
  Bats — Bats (eg bats).
  
• 
  Primates — primates.
  
• 
  Seals — pinnipeds (eg, seals and walruses).
  
• 
  Anteaters — anteater.
  
• 
  Cetaceans — cetaceans.
  
• 
  Odd-toed ungulates — solipeds, including horses and rhinoceroses.
  

• 
  Even-toed ungulates — artiodactyls.
  
• 
  Human beings — people.
  

Key characteristics of mammals:

1. 
   Vertebrates — vertebrates.
   
2. 
   Tetrapods — four-legged.
   
3. 
   Endothermic — warm-blooded.
   
4. 
   Have hair — have scalp.
   
5. 
   Mammary glands — have breasts.
   
6. 
   Lower jaw consists of a single bone — the lower jaw consists of a single bone.
   
7. 
   Diphyodonty — The presence of two generations of teeth that are changing.
   
8. 
   Diaphragm — the diaphragm.
   
9. 
   Four-chambered heart — four-chambered heart.